Thread: OiL Filter Magnet

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Here's a thought. Why are we concerned about a magnet being placed into a system that has non-magnetic particles floating around. Please understand my line of thought here. If it's magnetic, your engine is trashed. Either your machine shop was lazy on a Friday afternoon or there are peices letting go inside your motor that a magnet can not stop the carnage. Think about this for a sec......if any magnet you place in the system has a science project attached to it, do you feel the miracle of the magnet is going to stop the demise that this engine is under? Bearing peices are not going to be picked up or stopped, they have no qualities to follow this line of thinking. If the science project exists, you're problem lies elsewhere and faith healers and superstitions will not help. There is a major concern for the life of the thing at that point. If there is by chance a small deposit on the magnet, I would be gravely concerned about my machine shop or my skill in assembly and geometry setup and I know I'm going to eat this motor, sooner or later, but I'm gonna have to eat it. I would like to hear from all here on the forum and see what the opinion is concerning snake oils and gadgets sold to make money when the concern during the build of the project should have been the objective. I'm venting and ranting, sure. I have more faith and experience in my builds and projects to not worry or want my clients to worry about installing something that doesn't save the engine but rather made a small fortune on selling the thing to a paranoic market.

timing gear failure, mis-matched aftermarket parts.

If there are filings in the engine, the pump is the first thing they pass through on the way back to lubing the engine. I don't see a magnet catching every particle in the oil as it passes by it. Oil is designed to suspend particles and the oil is moving past the magnet fairly fast. Best way to remove the particles is a tear down. IMHO.

I see what you mean. Thanks for the solid.

I can see some value in a magnet on a fresh rebuild, to catch the fine stuff caused by the breaking-in process.

Your local ranch supply store will supply you with cow magnets (drop in magnets) for about 50 cents each. I don't use them because the ferrous materials have already gone through the pump causing damage and if the filter is doing its job the crap is going no further.
I drop a two"x 1/4" in the pan in front of the pickup on rebuilds and a magnetic drain plug. If the plug has more than just a bit on it I start saving for the next rebuild.